Cuspidor-lifter.



No. 767.619. PATENTED AUG. 16, 1904.

J. M. WHITNEY. GUSPIDOR LIFTER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 3, 1904. NO MODEL.

Patented August 16, 1904.

PATENT OFrIcE.

JAMES MORRIS WHITNEY, OF SONORA, CALIFORNIA.

' CUSPIDYOR-LIFTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 767,619, dated August 16, 1904. 7

Application filed June 3, 1904. Serial No. 211,068. (110 model.)

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES MORRIS WHIT- NEY, a resident of Sonora, in the county of Tuolumne and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cuspidor-Lifters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same;

-My invention relates to an improved cuspidor-lifter, the object of the invention being to provide an improved device of this character of simple and inexpensive construction, easily operated, and which will most effectually hold one or a number of cuspidors and can be applied or removed from a cuspidor witgout bringing the hands in contact therewit 7 With this object in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts,

as will be more fully hereinafter described,

and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a view in elevation, illustrating my improvements. Fig. .2 is a view in vertical section, and Figs. 3 and 4; are views of details of construction.

1 represents a metal ring or support to which four (more or less, as may be desired) depending spring-metal rods or wires 2 are secured by soldering or otherwise, and all tend to spring outward. The lower ends of these rods or wires 2 are bent upon themselves, as shown at-3, forming shoulders 4 and inclined planes or cam-faces 5, and a ring 6 is located around said cam-faces of the rods and connected by coiled springs 7 with eyes or openings in the bent end portions of the rods, which pull the ring 6 downward on the cam-faces 5, and thereby force inward the rods and locate the shoulders 4 thereof beneath the flared upper end of the cuspidor 8, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

Guide-slots 9 are located in opposite sides of ring or support 1, and the upper edge of the ring is connected by a handle 10, preferably formed of sheet metal.

A cross-rod 11 is adapted to move vertically in the slotted guides 9 and is connected by wires, cords, or like devices 12 with ring 6, so that by raisingcross-rod 11 the ring 6 will be elevated and permit rods 2 to spring outward and free the cuspidor.

I The operation of my improvements is as follows: To place the lifter on a cuspidor, the operator grasps handle 10 and draws cross-rod 11 upward, thereby lifting ring 6 and permitting the rods 2 to spring outward, when they can be placed over a cuspidor. The operator then releases rod 11, when the springs 7 will pull the ring 6 downward and force inward rods 2, projecting the shoulders 4 thereof beneath the flared rim of the cuspidor and effectually grasping the same. This cuspidor may then be placed on top of another and the rods moved downward and clamp the lowest cuspidor, and so on until a number can be held in a pile and transported without diificulty. After the cuspidors are cleaned they can be returned to their usual stations by releasing the lowest one first and grasping the one next above, and so on until all are released.

While the construction of shoulder 4 is especially designed for grasping cuspidors of ordinary shape, the rods may be bent in various shapes to grasp any shape of cuspidor, and any size of lifter may be made to accommodate any size and number of cuspidors. Hence I do not restrict myself to the precise details set forth, but consider myself at liberty to make such slight changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a cuspidor-lifter, the combination with a ring or support, of aseries of spring-rods depending from said ring or support and adapted to spring outward, a ring around said rods, springs adapted to draw the ring down on the rods and press them inward to clamp a cuspidor between them, and means for rais ing the ring to release the cuspidor.

2. In a cuspidor-lifter, the combination with a support, of a series of depending springrods secured to said support and bent to form shoulders, of a ring around the rods, springs connecting the ring with the ends of the rods to draw the ring downward and project the shoulders in holding position against a cuspidor, a movable cross-rod carried by the support, and wires or like connecting devices connecting said cross-rod with the ring to compel the latter to rise and release the rods from holding engagement with a cuspidor, when thecross-rod is raised.

3. In acuspidor-lifter, the combination with a ring or support, of depending spring-rods secured to said support and bent forming inclined planes or cam-faces, a ring around said 

